Campanula plant named &#39;08.01.17&#39;

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘08.01.17’, characterized by having compact, upright plant habit; dense and bushy plant form mainly due to more upright stems; vigorous growth habit and less need for chemical growth retardation; greater number of flowers per plant; large upright blue flowers, and no need for vernalization.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

[0001]Campanula portenschlagiana

VARIETY DENOMINATION

[0002] ‘08.01.17’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCampanula plant, botanically known as Campanula portenschlagianaSchult., commonly known as Dalmatian Bellflower, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘08.01.17’.

[0004] The new Campanula is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors, Gert K. Jensen and Per Elmegaard Andersen,in Shus, Denmark. The new Campanula originated from a cross made in 2001by the Inventors between a proprietary selection of Campanulaportenschlagiana Schult named ‘08.08’ (unpatented) as the female parent,and a proprietary selection of Campanula portenschlagiana Schult named‘08.98.05’ (unpatented) as the male parent. The Inventors selected thenew Campanula cultivar from the progeny of the above crossing in 2001 onthe basis of its compact and freely flowering habit. Plants of the newCampanula are more upright, compact and more freely flowering thanplants of both parental selections.

[0005] Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttingstaken and propagated in Shus, Denmark, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Campanula are stable and reproduce true to type inmany successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Plants of the cultivar ‘08.01.17’ have not been observed underall possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhatwith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

[0007] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘08.01.17’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘08.01.17’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

[0008] 1. Compact, upright plant habit;

[0009] 2. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to more upright stems;

[0010] 3. Vigorous growth habit, less need for chemical growthretardation;

[0011] 4. Greater number of larger flowers per plant;

[0012] 5. Large upright blue flowers; and

[0013] 5. No need for vernalization.

[0014] Side-by-side comparisons between the instant plant and theparental cultivars, ‘08.08. and ‘08.988.05’, were conducted by theInventors in Stige Denmark. Plants of ‘08.01.17’ differ from thecultivars ‘08.08’ and ‘08.988.05’ in the following characteristics:

[0015] 1. Plants of ‘08.01.17’ have shorter internodes and shorterleaves than plants of the cultivars ‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’.

[0016] 2. Plants of ‘08.01.17’ have light gray-green colored leaveswhereas plants of the cultivars ‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’ havegreen-colored leaves.

[0017] 3. Plants of ‘08.01.17’ have shorter flower peduncles than plantsof the cultivars ‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’.

[0018] 4. Plants of ‘08.01.17’ are shorter and more compact than plantsof the cultivars ‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’.

[0019] 5. Plants of ‘08.01.17’ have more flowers per plant and largerflowers than plants of the cultivars ‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0020] The accompanying photographic drawings illustrate the overallappearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which more accuratelydescribe the actual colors of ‘08.01.17’.

[0021] The first photographic drawing shows a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘08.01.17’ compared to the parental cultivars‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’, as grown in 11 cm pots. The second photographicdrawing shows a close-up view of typical flowering racemes of ‘08.01.17’along ‘08.08’ and ‘08.98.05’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0022] In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition. Plantswere grown under greenhouse conditions. The plants described were about14 weeks old after cutting, as grown in 11 cm pots.

[0023] Botanical classification: Campanula portenschlagiana Schult.

[0024] Parentage:

[0025]Female parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. ‘08.08’.

[0026]Male parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult. ‘08.98.05’.

[0027] Propagation: Terminal vegetative cuttings.

[0028]Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21 C. intunnels in a greenhouse.

[0029]Root description.—Fine, well branched.

[0030] Plant description:

[0031]Form.—Perennial, herbaceous plant with upright plant habit, andoverall globular shape with upright stems. Campanulate flowers inracemes. Freely branching with lateral branches forming at every node;dense and bushy.

[0032]Crop time.—After rooting, about 14 weeks are required to producefinished flowering plants in 11 cm pots.

[0033]Plant height (soil level to top of plant plane).—About 13 cm.

[0034]Plant spread.—23-27 cm.

[0035]Lateral branches.—Approximately 65-75, average length 11-13 cm,average branch diameter 1-2 mm, 5-7 leaves per lateral branch.

[0036]Internode length.—15 mm.

[0037]Stem.—RHS 143B in color.

[0038]Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate.

[0039] Foliage description: Leaves single, dentate, cordate, palmatevenation. Length: 15-20 mm. Width: About 25 mm. Shape: cordate. Apex:broad acuminate. Base: cordate. Margin: broadly dentate. Texture:smooth, glabrous, dull. Short stiff hairs on abaxial side and alongveins and margin. Color: Young foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 137A,green. Mature foliage, upper surface: N 139C, lower surface 139B.Venation, 138D, palmate venation pattern.

[0040]Petiole.—4-6 cm in length, 1-2 mm diameter, RHS N138D in color.

[0041] Flower description:

[0042]Flower arrangement and shape.—Single, upright flowers in racemes;campanulate flowers with small star shaped calyx.

[0043]Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout the spring andsummer. Season can be extended by vernalization and long day treatments.

[0044]Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual flowers ishighly dependent on temperature and light conditions. Flowerspersistent.

[0045]Number of flowers per inflorescence.—4-5.

[0046]Inflorescence size.—Length: about 11 cm.

[0047]Flowers.—Length: about 20 mm. Diameter: about 25 mm. Lanceolate,acuminate petal lobes: 10 mm long and 7 mm wide. Corolla color: blue,upper surfaces N87B, lower surface N87C, white lines along fusionmargins of petals.

[0048]Buds.—Length: up to 15 mm, diameter: up to 4 mm, oblong, ridgedshape, color: white to N88B.

[0049]Petals.—Arrangement: single, sympetalous, campanulate; 5 innumber, basally fused, entire margin, acute apex, length 8-10 mm, width:7 mm, color when opening RHS N87D, color when fully opened: RHS N87C;velvety texture.

[0050]Sepals.—Shiny, glabrous, free arrangement, 5 in number, cuspidateapex, fused base, length: 3 mm, width: 1 mm, color: immature RHS 144B(both surfaces); mature RHS 138A (both surfaces).

[0051]Peduncle.—Strength: moderately strong. Length: about 25 mm.Diameter: about 1 mm. Color: 138D light green.

[0052] Reproductive organs:

[0053]Stamen.—5, fused until pollen is shed.

[0054]Anther.—1 mm in size, color RHS 158B.

[0055]Pollen.—RHS 158B, average production.

[0056]Pistil.—1, 12 mm in length, tripartite shape.

[0057]Stigma.—Conspicuous tripartite, color: 85A blue.

[0058]Style.—Length: 11 mm, color RHS 84B.

[0059]Ovary.—RHS 150D.

[0060]Seed.—Length: about 1 mm. Diameter: about 0.3 mm.

[0061]Weather tolerance.—Plants of the new Campanula have exhibited goodtolerance to draught, rain and wind, low temperature resistant to −15C.

I/We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named‘08.01.17’, as illustrated and described herein.